The Battle to End it All
by Pencils 4 Life
Summary: Ash and May are engaged, Misty is heart broken, Brendan, Anabel and Mewtwo have teamed up and Giovanni is after the world. Several shippings involved, and some humor later. Please R&RChapter 11 Up!
1. A Rocky Start

Pallet Town the home of the current Pokemon Master Ash Ketchum and his fiancée all time Pokemon Contest Champion May Maple, for the most part their days are spent trying to avoid the press and facing off against trainers who think they are better then the Master or all time champ. While their life is stressful it's a very happy life. Brock has moved back home and is once more running the Pewter City Gym. Max has left home to go on his own journey traveling the Hoenn region. Misty is still running the Cerulean gym but has not spoken to Ash or May in several years. Dawn is working her way through the Johto region and Gary Oak has become the leader of the Viridian City Gym.

Ash and May were spending the day out in pallet town simply walking around and enjoying the fresh air. It had been awhile since they had just spent the day together. Ash had grown up quite a bit over the years. He was taller, a bit more muscular, his hair was still very messy and he was still wearing his pokemon league hat., and as always he had his big goofy grin on. As he smiled at May she smiled back. May had grown up as well, she had completely filled out, her hair was tied back in a ponytail and she wears her bandana around her neck. She squeezed Ash's hand as she gave him her trademark sweet smile. "Can you believe that in two months we'll be married?" May asked excitedly. "I mean there's still so much to do! We must get everyone down here, my parents have to find Max and ge-" May was cut off as Ash kissed her. "You need to calm down May, we will get it all done, I swear" He said with a smile as he stroked her cheek. "Now what do you say to having some lunch? I 'm starving" "Me too" May said excitedly. They usually had to eat at a normal sit down restaurant since the all you can eat buffets banned the couple. 

As they sat down and looked at the menus their minds began to wander. "Ya know, Misty still hasn't given an answer on the wedding invite we sent her. Do you think I should go to Cerulean City and see what's up?" May looked up from her menu in horror. "No! I mean no, I'm sure everything is fine. I'm sure" May was horrified at the idea of misty showing up for the wedding, mainly since she knew Misty was in love with Ash. In fact she could swear there was a part of Ash that loved Misty back and that's what scared her. She would get Images of being left at the altar while Ash ran off with Misty. It was her greatest fear right now. She loved Ash too much and would fight anyone for him. Ash on the other hand had someone else he didn't want at the wedding. Brendan Birch, Mays best friend. Last time Ash and Brendan met was right before the Pokemon League World Championships. Brendan made his feelings for May quite clear to Ash. It scared Ash that he would even try to steal May away. Luckily for Ash no one had heard from Brendan since he lost to Ash in the final match of the championships. 

Ash and May ordered their food and continued their conversation figuring out other plans for the wedding. "Next month I'm gonna head up and see Misty. We haven't spoke in a while and I want to make sure everything is ok" May looked away as she nodded. "Ok Ash" She knew once he set his mind to something he couldn't be stopped. She just hoped their love was strong enough to survive whatever Misty would to try and win Ash for herself. However something was bugging her. "Why wait till next month?" Ash rubbed the back of his head and smiled. "Well we got a lot of stuff to take care of first. So we need to get all that out of the way." May smiled and nodded. "My parents and professor Birch have still had no luck contacting Brendan, I really wish he could be here for the wedding. I mean it wouldn't be the same without my best friend there." She said looking down at her empty plate. "Ya it would be a real shame" Ash said trying to hide his sarcasm. May sighed, "I just wonder where he is, if he's all right. I mean its like he disappeared off the face of the earth after he lost to you" May was distracted from her thoughts as food came. 


	2. The Joining

A dark boardroom four men and a woman sit at a table with their hands folded as they eye each other one not trusting the other. They were the five most dangerous individuals in the world. Pokemon Hunter J the world's greatest bounty hunter, Cyrus, the boss of the criminal organization Team Galactic, Maxie boss of the crime group Team Magma, Archie, the Boss of the crime group Team Aqua and finally sitting at the end of the table sat the boos of Team Rocket, Giovanni. He sat smiling at his partners. "Lady and Gentlemen I am very interested in hearing how your progress is coming along in capturing our targets. "Darkrai, Dialga, and Palika have been successfully captured" Cyrus said proudly as he placed three Master Balls on the table and smiled. Archie simply smirked, "Team Aqua captured Kyogre, Lugia, and Rayquaza" he proudly placed the three Master Balls on the table and looked over at Maxie. "Team Magma has captured Garudon, Ho-oh, and Latias" Maxie proceeded to place the Master Balls on the table. Giovanni simply smiled as all four men looked over at J. She sighed and pulled out a small container that held nine Master Balls. "All the legendary birds, beasts, and golems" She said as she smirked at the men, "Delivered on time just as promised. Now I believe there's a matter of my payment." Giovanni smiled as he pulled out a couple pokeballs. "Deoxas, Jirachi, Celebi and Mew" Giovanni said proudly. "Now I think before we divi up the pokemon and handsomely reward Miss J I suggest we have a drink." The others agreed. 

Giovanni pushed a button on the call box next to him. Soon Domino, and several other Rocket females walked in wearing revealing dresses each carrying a glass of wine. Domino put the glass in Giovanni's hand as the others did the same to the others. Giovanni held up his glass. "To the joining of our groups and to the new rulers of the world!!" The others raised their glasses in celebration. After they finished their drinks Archie, Maxie and Cyrus fell dead on the table. Giovanni straightened his tie and smiled. "Well that was easier then I thought" All the rocket girls except for Domino left leaving Giovanni, Domino and J alone. "Now Miss J, you wee left alive because I wanted to offer you membership with Team Rocket as one of our higher ups. Pokemon Hunter J shook her head. "No that's quite alright, I just want my money and I will be on my way" 

Giovanni faked a frown. "Oh I'm sorry to see you go, you would have been quite and addition to our team." With that Domino moved behind J quickly slitting her throat. J fell to the ground as she bled all over the floor. "What's the Status on Mewtwo?" He asked Domino as she cleaned off her knife showing mild indifference at the dead bodies before her. "Mewtwo was spotted around the Battle Frontier, I will be heading there with a team immediately" "Good and make sure you bring him back in one piece, he's Team Rocket Property and I want him back ALIVE!" Domino nodded as she left the room. 

Giovanni pressed another button as a screen appeared on a near by wall. It showed a large warehouse where all members of Team Aqua, Team Magma, Team Galactic and Team Rocket were awaiting orders from their leaders. "Attention all members of Teams Aqua, Magma, and Galactic, you are all now members of Team Rocket, those of you who are wondering why this has happened all I can say is your former boss have decided to take an extended leave of absence and have handed control of their teams over to me. Now please exit out the door to your left to receive your new uniforms. That is all" Giovanni switched off the monitor as he left the office. "Clear out the bodies and have the room cleaned up," He said to a grunt, which looked in the room and rolled his eyes. "Just great" He said as he walked in the room. "Hey! Can someone get the wood chipper?!" He screamed to some grunts outside.


	3. Casualties of War

Giovanni sat at his desk waiting to hear from Domino

Giovanni sat at his desk waiting to hear from Domino. He was hoping they could secure Mewtwo quickly and quietly. For his plan to work the world could not know what he was up to till it was to late. For the most part the over throw of the other crime organizations went flawlessly. Most of the members of the other groups simply went along with it. Of course there were those few troublemakers that had to be eliminated. Giovanni swirled the wine in his glass as he leaned back and pet his Persian. "Well part one seems to be going well. But for Part two lets see who that brat knows and who we can use to manipulate him." Giovanni pressed a button on his chair as a computer screen popped up. "Computer, give me a complete list of the family and friends of the Pokemon Master Ash Ketchum." The computer began loading files like mad when it came up with a short list. "hmmm what to we have here? The leaders of The Cerulean and Pewter City Gyms, Hmmmmm Misty Waterflower might be an easy target. Professor Oak. Oh! What's this? The leader of the Viridian City gym? I'll have to pay him a visit myself." Giovanni pet his Persian as he chuckled to himself. He then dropped his glass as the next file came up. "No it can't be! Delia? No it can't be! But if he's that old that means….." Giovanni froze as he fell back in his chair holding his head in frustration. "This changes things dramatically." Giovanni straightened his tie and smirked. "Well alls not lost, I can still use Delia and that Gym girl to control him" Giovanni said smiling. "However first I need to take back my gym from that child." He looked at the Master Balls on his desk and pocketed six. "These should be enough to take care of him" Giovanni smiled as he thought of what he was about to do to Gary Oak. 

Giovanni didn't bother to look at the last file that popped up, the one that listed Ash's Fiancée May Maple. That file sat blinking in the corner of the screen as he left his office. Giovanni put his hands in his pocket as he walked toward his town car followed by his Persian. His driver bowed to Giovanni, "Where will I be taking you today sir?" "To the Viridian Gym, I have some business to conduct there" He said as he got into his jet-black town car. "Very good sir." Within an hour they had reached their destination. Giovanni stepped out of the town car to look up at the Gym he had formally owned. "Well it has taken me a little under ten years, but I will have you back soon" He said as he entered the gym.

Gary oak did not look up from where he was at first, he was busy tending to his pokeballs. "Greetings, I'm Gary Oak, the Viridian Gym leader, as long as you have 7 badges already I will…battle…you….." Gary trailed off as he saw Giovanni. "You! How dare you step foot in my gym after you soiled its good name!" Giovanni simply laughed. "This has been and always will be MY gym boy! You were merely holding my place till I returned, now step down before I am forced to hurt you" Gary gritted his teeth as he stared down Giovanni. "Never!" He screamed as he readied his pokeballs. Giovanni simply chuckled. "Have it your way. Defeat me hear and now and I will leave peacefully, we will each use six pokemon."

Gary threw his first pokeball "Go! Scizor!!" The red bug pokemon flew at Giovanni. Giovanni simply smirked as he opened a pokeball. "Ho-oh, use fire blast" Gary looked on in horror as the Legendary bird let out a mighty scream as it used its fire blast which engulfed Scizor leaving nothing but ash. "Scizor!!" Gary screamed as he looked on at where his pokemon once stood. "You monster!!" Giovanni returned Ho-oh to its ball and smirked. Gary refused to let him win. Breaking the rules Gary threw out his 5 remaining pokemon at once. Nidoking, Umbreon, Electivire, Kingdra, and Arcanine. "All of you together! Use Fissure, Shadow ball, Thunder, Hyperbeam and Fire Blast!!" He said in a fit of anger wanting to avenge his fallen friend. Giovanni scoffed at the attacks as he opened another pokeball. The attacks looked like they were all direct hits. However Giovanni simply smiled as he stood inside the barrier his Deoxys had made. "Foolish boy, I was merely going to defeat you, but now that you have attempted to take my life, it seems I will need to take yours" Deoxys switched from Defense to Attack form. "Deoxys, use Psycho Boost!" Deoxys nodded as he tore through Gary's Pokemon like a hot knife through butter leaving their lifeless bodies behind it. Gary watched in horror as the Pokemon approached him. Deoxys looked back at Giovanni as he gave it a nod. "Good bye Mr. oak, I hope you enjoyed your life" and with that Deoxys unleashed a massive Hyper Beam ripping a hole through Gary's chest. Gary let out a blood-curdling scream as he fell lifeless to the ground like his pokemon. 

Giovanni returned it to its pokeball and smiled. As he walked out of the building he called head quarters on his phone. "I need a clean up crew at the Viridian Gym, clean it up and close it down, we will be moving operations back to Viridian City" He said with a smile as he got in his town car. He turned on his personal videophone when he got a call from Domino. "Ah Domino, I assume you are calling to report that Mewtwo has been captured?" Domino looked distracted as she spoke. "Not exactly sir we seemed to have run into a slight prob-" Domino was cut off as she was kicked in the face. The figure on the screen was wearing a small black mask over his face and black bandana with a white pokeball on it. The figure took Domino's place on screen. "This Giovanni? Hi! I'll be over to kick your ass soon!" He said in a cheerful manner before Domino punched him in the face returning to the screen. "I'm sorry sir that was the problem I spoke of, but do not worry. I promise I will handle it and have Mewtwo to you ASAP!" She the translation was then cut off. Giovanni gritted his teeth as he watched the screen. "DAMNIT!!" He had no idea who the masked man was all he knew was that he wanted him dead!


	4. The Masked Man

The Forest near the Battle Tower was usually filled with all sorts of very aggressive Pokemon like Beedrill

The Forest near the Battle Tower was usually filled with all sorts of very aggressive Pokemon like Beedrill. However today there didn't seem to be as many about. Something was making them move away from the forest. Anabel looked out from a window in the Battle Tower she could feel a strange presence in the air but she shrugged it off knowing it was probably nothing. However deeper in the forest was a figure in a dark brown cloak. He was waiting for someone. The figure turned around as she sensed the man he was waiting for. Brendan Birch the former pokemon trainer walked up to the cloaked figure. "You know M, you could have been more specific about where you wanted me to meet you in the forest. I have been walking around for an hour and a half." M simply chuckled, "its not my fault you don't know me better by know" "Yeah well I just hope this time it goes smoother then last time. I don't need another officer jenny and a bunch of other cops shooting at me" Brendan said angrily. M nodded "I understand, are the others ready for tonight?" "Yeah, their all ready, do you think this trap will work? Last thing we need is anyone getting suspicious." M sighed, "Just relax, as long as we have the regulars everything will go fine, the trap has been set and they will be here by tonight" Brendan nodded and smiled. "Yeah after tonight he will know he's in trouble" M simply nodded, "I suggest you get ready Brendan, it's getting dark and I need to make sure I'm in place." Brendan nodded as he began to walk out of the forest.

It was 10pm and Domino was heading for the top of the Battle Tower with 20 other Rocket agents flying in formation using their jet packs. "Ok Remember men, our informant told us Mewtwo was on top of the battle tower resting. We need to do this quickly and efficiently, no slip ups!" "Yes Ma'am!" The other Rocket agents said in unison. Mewtwo was lying on the top of the Battle Tower resting, he opened one eye as the Domino and the rocket agents landed around him. "Alright Mewtwo, we are going to give you a chance to come quietly, if not we will be forced to hurt you" Mewtwo stood up and scoffed at her. "Do not try to be intimidating girl, you fail miserably at it" Domino's face became pure rage. "why you!!" Suddenly there was a sound of a loud whistle. "Yo! Rocket Bitch! Trying picking on someone of your own species!" Screamed a figure from behind Domino. She turned around to see a man in a dark brown cloak wearing a black mask like Zorro's over his face and a black bandana with a white Pokeball on it that covered his nose and mouth. Behind him stood five pokemon an Electrode, a Furret, A Squirtle who was wearing a green mask similar to the ones the ninja turtles wear, a Lucario, and a Gardevoir. "Who are you supposed to be?" Domino asked as she prepared to attack. "Just call me you worst nightmare" The man responded as he and the pokemon ran at Domino and the Rocket members. "Take care of Mewtwo! This guys mine!" She screamed as she ran at the masked man. She swung her leg around as she tried to kick him in the head. He simply lifted his arm to block her attack. And slammed his palm into her chest. "Come on Domino. You gotta do better then that" Domino looked shocked that the man knew her name. "How do you know who I am?" The masked man shrugged as he swung at her, Domino quickly dodged it. "I can call you other things if you want 009, Black Tulip, take your pick" Domino becoming more enraged jumped into the air delivering a swift round house kick to the side of the man's head.

The other Rocket members would have secured Mewtwo if they weren't being attacked by the other pokemon. Mewtwo had several running for the hills while Gardevoir kept the ones trying to run trapped with a barrier. Squirtle jumped on the heads of several grunts and hitting them with a Hydro Pump. Furret blasted two with an ice beam freezing them in place. Electrode used roll out to run down a few rocket grunts while Lucario delivered a mega punch and a mega kick to two of the grunts. Domino looked around realizing they were in trouble and activated her video wristwatch to contact Giovanni. As she turned it on she heard his voice. "Ah Domino, I assume you are calling to report that Mewtwo has been captured?" Domino looked up to dodge a punch from the masked man before looking back at her watch "Not exactly Sir we seemed to have run into a slight prob-" Domino was cut off as the masked man kicked her in the face. He grabbed her arm and looked into the watch. "This Giovanni? Hi! I'll be over to kick your ass soon!" he said as Domino punched him in the face and looked back at the watch. "I'm sorry sir, that was the problem I spoke of, but don't worry. I promise I will handle it and have Mewtwo to you ASAP!" she said as the masked man smashed her wristwatch. "Mewtwo is not going anywhere Domino!" He said as he grabbed her wrist and threw her. She landed on her feet as she pulled out the knife she used to kill Pokemon Hunter J. "This ends now!" She screamed as she slashed at his face. He managed to pull back far enough that the knife didn't go in but it did cut his face ripping through the mask and bandana. Domino dropped he knife when she saw his face. "no.." Was all she could say. The masked man was revealed to be Brendan Birch. He covered part of his face to stop the bleeding from where Domino cut him. "Why Brendan!" Domino demanded as she tried to hold back tears. "I thought you believed in this! I thought you wanted to be the best! Why would you do this?" She asked confused. "I told you once Domino, my sense of right and wrong comes first before anything else in my life." He stood there as he looked at her, looking into her violet eyes as she looked into his ruby eyes. "even before me?" Domino asked as she moved closer to him. Brendan looked her in the eyes and sighed. "Domino I still love you, but I can't let you do this, and I will stop you and Giovanni" Brendan was caught off guard as Domino kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her as he kissed her back. As the kissed ended she whispered in his ear. "Just remember, I love you to" She said as she stabbed him in the back. Brendan let out a large scream as Domino let him fall to the floor. Domino looked back as she ran and took off. "Men follow me, this mission was a bust, and we will try again later!!" She said as the other rocket members took off after her.

Brendan lay there on the roof as she grunted in pain, Mewtwo and the other pokemon gathered around him. Anabel had been watching from a small door in the roof since about half way through the fight. Until the end they didn't look like they needed any help. However now it looked like they did. She walked up to them slowly. The pokemon moved to protect the now unconscious Brendan. "it's ok I'm a friend, I swear" She said hoping they would let her help. Mewtwo nodded and the others returned to their pokeballs. Mewtwo lifted Brendan with his powers and followed Anabel inside. 


	5. Tri Attack

Back at pallet town Ash and May were still busy with wedding plans and dealing with daily challengers

Back at pallet town Ash and May were still busy with wedding plans and dealing with daily challengers. Right now Ash was battling a kid who thought he was good enough to take on the Pokemon Master. "Charizard use seismic toss!!" Ash shouted as his Charizard picked up the kid's hypno. Charizard flew higher and higher and began to spin faster and faster until it threw Hypno back into the ground below. Hypno tried to get up, but it just fell over with swirls in his eyes. "Hypno……." The kid sighed as he pulled out his pokeball. "Hypno return!" "Hypno is unable to battle and the challenger is out of pokemon! Ash is the winner!" Shouted the ref as Ash returned Charizard to his pokeball. Ash grinned his signature grin as he walked up to the kid, "You did good kid, you just need to keep training and remember, type advantage isn't everything" The kid nodded and left.

Ash was on his way out the door when he saw someone there waiting for him. He assumed it was May since she would often show up to walk back home with him. Ash's jaw dropped when he saw who it was. At the door stood Misty, his first love and the friend he hadn't spoken to in years. She had shoulder length hair, and was wearing a small t-shirt with a staru on it and her short jean shorts. She had her arms behind her back as she stood there nervously looking at him. "Hi Ash" Ash ran up to misty with a big grin on his face hugging her tight. "Misty!" He said with a huge grin. He missed hr a lot. Misty just closed her eyes and hugged Ash back. As Ash let go he looked at Misty, "So misty does this mean your coming to the wedding?" Ash asked with a big smile. "Um, that's not exactly the reason I came, I actually need to talk to you about something, something important" Ash simply nodded being as dense as ever. "Sure thing Misty, you mind if we find somewhere to eat first? I'm starving" Misty nodded and smiled, "Sure" he was still the same old Ash, and she was thankful for that. Pikachu came rounding the corner heading for Ash and Misty. With the surprise of Misty showing up Ash nearly forgot about him. "Pika Pi!" He said as he jumped up into Misty's arms. "Hey there Pikachu!" She said smiling as she held him. 

As the three of them walked to a near by dinner it felt like old times again. The three of them walking together and laughing, "So Misty, how did you end up getting off work from the gym?" Ash asked as they walked. "Well Daisy's been helping me a lot with the gym, she seems to have a real knack for it" Misty said happily. "So I simply asked her if she could watch the gym for awhile. I have been wanting to visit for a long time but I just never had the time" That was a total lie, she had plenty of time to visit. As they sat down at a table at the diner Pikachu sat down at a table between Misty and Ash. "So Misty, how come you never even returned a phone call or a letter, I was starting to think you didn't like me anymore" Misty shook her head. "No Ash, it wasn't that at all" Ash gave her a funny look, "Then what was it Misty?" She sighed as she looked at her lap. "I love you Ash" Ash gave her a funny look, "well I love you to, I mean why wouldn't I? your one of my best friends" Misty shook her head realizing that this would be harder then she thought. "No Ash I'm in love with you" Ash froze for a minute. "Oh" was all he could say. "So Ash I have one question to ask you and I need you to be fully truthful" He simply nodded. "Why ash?" "Why what?" He asked confused. Misty was trying to stop the tears from flowing. "Why her and not me?" He said becoming more upset. "Why wasn't I good enough to be with you?" She asked as she tried to hold back the tears. "Misty, when we were younger, I really did love you that way, I was crazy about you. But you were always yelling at me, picking on me, putting me down, hitting me" He said with sadness in his voice as he looked away from her. "I thought you didn't like me that way" He said as he looked back at her. At the moment he said those words misty felt the worst pain she ever felt in her entire life. She realized May never stole Ash from her, Misty pushed him away. Because she was to afraid to admit her feeling for him she pushed him into the arms of another woman. "I-I'm sorry Ash, but I really need to go" Misty said as she got teary eyed and ran off. Ash looked over at Pikachu, "I really messed this up didn't I?" "Pi, Pika pi" Pikachu said nodding. Ash pulled out his cell phone to call May and tell her to meet him at the diner. He needed to tell her what happened and they needed to talk about it. Pikachu rolled his eyes realizing this was gonna get worse before it gets better. 

After May got to the diner she sat next to Ash, sighing as she sat down. She took his hands and looked deep into his brown eyes and he looked into her sapphire ones. "Ash, what happened?" "It's Misty she came to visit me in the arena, and then we came here to get something to eat, and she told me, she told me she was in love with me, that she always love and still is" May sat there scared out of her mind. Was this the end? Was he gonna leave her for Misty? May sat there as she looked at Ash terrified he was gonna tell her that he loved Misty and it was over. "Do you love her back?" Ash looked away "I-I don't know May" Ash really wasn't sure, he had waited so long for Misty and along the way he fell in love with May. She felt tears building up as got up. She pulled the ring off of her finger and handed it back to Ash. "Well you can have this until your sure about how you feel, and until you are sure don't bother coming home" She said as she started to cry and ran out of the diner. Ash put his head in his hands "I really messed up this time didn't I Pikachu?" Pikachu nodded "Pika pi pi Pikachu"


	6. The Madien and The Hero

Brandon was in a spare bed in the battle tower sleeping peacefully. Anabel really had no idea what to do. I mean she just met this total stranger a few nights ago when he was battling Team Rocket and defending a strange Pokemon. So he couldn't have been all bad. Anabel pulled up a chair sitting next to him using a damp towel to wipe the sweat from his face. She moved the blanket down revealing his bare chest to make sure his bandages were still holding up. The stab had missed all his organs. He was very lucky. Anabel was able to identify all but one of his pokemon, for the most part they were friendly, especially Squirtle, but that other one refused to even acknowledge her existence. As she looked over Brendan and cleaned him up she couldn't help but blush a bit. She thought he was kind of cute. One thing that bugged her was that he had no ID on him, so she didn't even know the mystery man's name and any attempts to probe his mind were blocked by Gardevoir and the other pokemon who just stayed silent against the wall awaiting for Brendan to awaken.

Brendan stirred in his bed as he slowly awoken. He opened his eyes to see Anabel sitting over him. "Well I guess there are worse ways to wake up" he said smiling at her. Anabel turned bright red as she backed away a bit. Brendan smiled at her as he looked at the bandages. "I guess you're the one who saved me?" He asked Anabel. "She nodded. "well he helped" She said pointing at Mewtwo. "Aww I had no idea you cared M" Brendan said mocking Mewtwo. "Um now that you're awake you mind telling me what all that was about?" Brendan looked confused for a minute as he sat up. "Oh you mean the thing on the roof? We were setting up Team Rocket," He said simply. "You see me and my team recently partnered up with M over there to bring down Team Rocket and all the other crime syndicates in the world. However we got worried when we noticed Team Aqua, Team Magma, and Team Galactic all stopped their activities and the crime here in Kanto suddenly spiked. We figure Giovanni had something to do with it" Anabel nodded as he spoke. "Ok well then who was that girl? what is M? and why do your Pokemon refuse to get in their Pokeballs?" Brendan stood up and stretched and moved around the room. "That girl I was fighting, her name is Domino, she's Team Rocket's number one agent and my ex girlfriend. M is a genetic experiment made by Team Rocket. He's an evolved clone of Mew. They have been after him ever since he escaped. M and I have been working together since we realized we have the same goal of bringing down Team Rocket and the other crime syndicates. As for my team, they wont go into their balls because I don't own them, we each share the same goals so we are working together and the pokeballs are merely a means of convenient travel. After all their not my pokemon" Brendan said casually. Anabel looked confused "What do you mean there not yours?" Brendan grabbed his shit and put it on "its just as I said, their not mine, we each met a various points in my travels and we are all working together because we have the same goals. I rescued Electrode from an abusive trainer when he was a Voltorb. He ran away from his trainer and followed me. A pokemon poacher killed Gardevoir's trainer, unfortunately Electrode and I were to late to save her. Gardevoir joined us to hunt down the poacher. After we turned him over to the cops we asked if she wanted to join us in making sure other trainers and their pokemon stay safe. When we met Lucario he was being used by a trainer who would set him up in unfair fights and bet against him. When we found out what his trainer was up to Electrode, Gardevoir and myself stepped into the ring to give him a hand. After that he clocked his trainer and joined us. Furret we rescued from a Team Galactic lab, they were feeding it loads of TMs seeing what they could make it learn. We broke into the lab, freed the pokemon and when it was all over Furret decided it wanted to help us and make sure no Pokemon ever suffer like it did. As for Squirtle…..hey, where is Squirtle?" Brendan said as he started looking all over the room for the baby pokemon. The door suddenly burst open and in ran Squirtle carrying Brendan's backpack. "Squirtle! Squirtle squirt!!" Brendan picked him up and hugged him. "There's my side kick! We found Squirtle abandoned on the side of the road. He was pretty messed up when we found him. So we took him under our wing to raise and protect him." Anabel smiled as he spoke. As crazy as he seemed he might be she could tell he had a kind heart. "Is M a stranger turned friend to?" Brendan and Mewtwo both laughed. "Him? Hell no! M is a total bastard on every level" Mewtwo looked at them "and I would never befriend such an incompetent idiot" Anabel freaked out a bit "how did he??" "M is a psychic pokemon a powerful one, he speaks using telepathy" "oh" was all Anabel could say. "Look um this is a bit awkward but we haven't even introduced ourselves yet. I'm Brendan Birch, former Pokemon trainer turned defender of the innocent" He said as he stuck out his hand. "I'm Anabel, Frontier Brain and Salon Maiden of the battle Tower" Brendan shook her hand and smiled. "Nice to meet you and thank you for helping me. If there's anything I can do just let me know" He said with a smile.

Anabel was getting tired of the lonely life at the Battle Tower. She wanted to do something else with her life, go explore the world and do some good. That's when she made the decision. "Let me join you" Brendan turned around and looked at her, "What?" She moved closer to him looking nervous. "Let me join you in bringing down Team Rocket and protecting people." Brendan looked her up and down. "Ok, your in" He said with a smile, but if your gonna join us your gonna need a uniform, after all you can't have the bad guys knowing who you are and coming after your loved ones, I mean what kind of idiot would do that?" Brendan asked as he pulled out his spare mask and bandana. "Anabel I think you should hurry, we don't have much time, odds are Team Rocket's going to be planning something big, M will brief us on what they are planning on our way to the next location." "How does he know?" Anabel asked confused. "Why do you think we planned all this? Mewtwo probed Domino's mind while I distracted her. He's got all their plans now"


	7. Two Steps Forward One Step Back

It had been several days since Ash and May put their engagement on hold. Neither of them had spoken to each other since then. Misty had tried several times to contact Ash, but he never responded. Ash was now staying with his mother since May had kicked him out of their home. He had no idea what he wanted anymore. He loved May, but he loved Misty as well. He tossed and turned every night unsure of what he should do. Did he really love May? Or was she just a replacement since he thought Misty didn't love him? Did he truly love Misty? Or was he turning to her simply because he was scared of getting married? Ash groaned in frustration as he got up from his bed and got dressed. It was late but he needed to go for a walk.

He continued to walk around town in the dark with the streetlights providing the only source of light. He left Pikachu back at home. As much as he could use the input of someone else he knew he had to figure this out on his own. He eventually came to a crossroad. He could go left or right. Left would lead him to his house, and May, right would lead him to the hotel, and Misty. Ash stood there for a while trying to figure out what to do. Ash went right.

Meanwhile at the pallet Pokemon Center three very familiar individuals were making their way through the vents. "I don't see why it took seven chapters to show up in the story!" Said Meowth. "Will you shut up Meowth!?" Screamed an aggravated Jesse. "Once we get these Pokemon the boss we will get a huge reward!" said James with a huge grin. They all started to daydream as Meowth spoke "I can see it now. We will bring these Pokemon to the boss and he will say I have misjudged Meowth and his friends, you are truly my greatest agents and I shall reward you all handsomely!!" They all smiled as they continued to daydream. That is until the vent gave out and they hit the ground with a thud. Jesse and James landed on Meowth. "Will you both get off me!?" "Wooobbuffet!!" They groaned as Wobbuffet popped out of his pokeball.

They looked up to see Brendan and Anabel in full costume looking down at them. Brendan was in his usual uniform; the black mask, the bandana, and his brown cloak. Anabel was wearing black clothes similar to Brendan's, although hers were tighter and exposed her mid section, she wore a purple mask similar to Brendan's, a dark blue cloak, a purple bandana covering her nose and mouth. Brendan looked up at Anabel, "I told you Foresight, these three are the most predictable beings on the face of the earth." Anabel looked down at the trio prepared to battle. "Calm down, these three are the most harmless beings on earth." Meowth was about to argue that, then he realized it was the truth.

"So what do you two want?" Meowth asked as he looked at the costumed duo. "This is gonna be Gligarman all over again isn't it?" James asked with fear in his voice. Brendan knelt down next to them, looking into their eyes. "Where is Giovanni?" The trio looked at him blankly and shrugged. Brendan sighed. "Ok here's the deal, you guys tell us what you do know and we let you leave, no cops, no bruises, we just escort you outside and you guys leave. Deal?" They nodded their heads "Deal!!" Brendan smiled as he looked at them. "Giovanni ordered all team rocket agents to go to various cities around the region, we have no idea why or what they are supposed to do, we just thought this would put us on his good side" Brendan nodded and began to think. "Are there any other agents besides you three in Pallet Town?" They shook their heads. "Good now get out before I make Electrode send you out."

Team Rocket ran out as fast as they could, when they were far enough away they took a break. "That was close" Jesse said as they rested near a tree. Their eyes went wide a wild Voltorb rolled up to them. "VOLTORB!!" It self-destructed sending them flying. "It looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!!" The trio flew off into the night like a shooting star.

Ash continued his walk toward the hotel not really sure what force was guiding him there he just knew that he had to see Misty. Misty was leaning over the balcony of her room loving the view and trying to forget about Ash. That's when she heard a knock on the door and decided to go see whom it was. "Who could it be this late at night?" Her heart almost stopped when she saw Ash at the door. "A-Ash" Was all she could get out before she felt him pull her into a hug. "I'm sorry Misty I just really need to see you" She smiled as she closed her eyes and hugged him back. She took his hand and led him over to her bed and had him sit next to her. "um Misty? May broke up with me" he said as he showed her the ring.

Misty pulled him close and hugged him tight. "I'm so sorry Ash, this is all my fault" She said as she realized how much she had messed things up. Ash pulled away from her and looked her in the eyes. "No, Misty, it's mine" Misty started to get teary eyed as she looked at Ash. "What do you mean?" She asked as she looked at him. "I told her I still love you" Misty got a big smile a she began to cry tears of joy. "Oh Ash" She leaned in slowly as did he. Soon their lips met. They continued the kiss for what felt like forever. As they pulled away they looked at each other. Ash felt like a weight had been lifted, but something was still missing. Misty took him by the hand and led him out to the balcony. She smiled at him and he smiled back. She pulled him close and kissed him again. He eagerly kissed her back pulling her close. After being turned away by the love of his life he would take anyone who would have him.

That same night May was tossing and turning in the bed she and Ash shared. She turned over to see the empty space that used to belong to the man she loved and whom she thought loved her. She decided she needed to clear her head and went for a walk leaving her pokemon at home. As she walked she passed the hotel and spotted something that completely obliterated her heart. As she looked up into the sky her eyes fell on the hotel Misty was staying in. That's when she spotted Misty on the balcony kissing the love of her life. She looked away as she started to run "Damn you, Damn you Ash Ketchum." She kept on running faster and faster not caring where she went. All she knew was she wanted to get as far away from the both of them as physically possible.

As Ash pulled away from Misty he looked her in the eyes "Misty, I'm sorry, but I can't do this, I can't be with you" Misty went from sadness to pure rage. "HOW DARE YOU!! HOW DARE YOU COME IN HERE GET MY HOPES UP AND THEN TELL ME YOU LOVE HER!! GET OUT!!" She screamed as Ash ran as fast as he could. He hoped Misty would be ok he would just need to give her some time to cool down. He just knew he had to get home, to May, to tell the woman he loved that he needed her that he couldn't live without her.

However May was almost out of town by the time she done running. She looked around and leaned up against a tree. "Now what do I do?" She said to herself as she tried to hold back her tears. "You could spend time with us" May looked around to see five large men coming toward her. She didn't know what they wanted but she knew it wasn't good. She took a swing at one of the guys. He caught her and held her hands behind her back. "get away!!" She screamed as she tried to kick them off. But it was no use. She was just about to give up when help came from out of nowhere. "Let go of the girl now!!" Screamed one of the two figures that landed in front of May and her attackers. It was Brendan and Anabel.


	8. To the Rescue

The thugs laughed as they cracked their knuckles and pulled out their pokeballs

The thugs laughed as they cracked their knuckles and pulled out their pokeballs. "You think your tougher then us?!" Screamed the lead thug as he threw out his pokeballs. The other goons followed his lead. The lead thug was a big guy with a baldhead and a huge gut. His name was Cue ball. The other goons were wearing leather vests and had spiked Mohawks they kind of looked like bikers. Before they knew it Brendan and Anabel were up against three Machokes, an Arbok, a Nidorino, two koffings, a Golbat, and a Victreebel. Brendan and Anabel looked at each other as their team came out to lend a hand. Squirtle, Lucario, Electrode and Gardevoir came out to assist while Anabel called out Espeon and Gengar.

Brendan lunged at Cue Ball hitting him in the face with a strong right hook. "Damn straight we're tougher then you!!" He said angrily. Espeon dodged several karate chops from one of the Machokes. When it had the right aim it hit one of the Machokes with a Psybeam sending it to the ground. "Good Job Espeon! Now make sure you get the others." Anabel turned around to see one of the biker guys coming up behind her she moved to her left and kicked him in the side. When he was on the ground she pulled back her fist nailing him in the nose, knocking him out. Squirtle drenched the koffings as they tried to charge him. He slid out of the way and Electrode hit them with thunderbolt sending them to the ground. Cue Ball got up and grabbed Brendan by the Head slamming him into the ground. "You think your gonna mess up my fun!? On my turf?! After we kill you I'll make sure this chick and your girlfriend here wish they had never been born!!" Brendan tried his best to struggle under Cue Ball's weight. Arbok kept trying to take out Lucario with a it's bite attack. Lucario kept moving jabbing it in the face a couple of times. When Arbok went for one huge bite attack it lunged for him. He dodged and Arbok became stuck to the tree right behind Lucario.

May watched as two complete strangers risked their lives and the lives of their pokemon for her. She thought no one had cared about her. She figured she must have a few guardian angels out there. She watched as the Golbat and other Machokes were taken down. Gardevoir launched a Shadow Ball sending it right into Victreebel. Victreebel fainted after it was smashed into the tree by the attack. Gengar was still battling Nidorino. Gengar used shadow punch but Nidorino dodged It used horn attack but Gengar countered with night shade. Nidorino did a full out charge, Gengar grabbed him by the horn and slammed him hard into the ground. Gengar had beaten him. As Brendan jumped back he lunged once more at Cue ball delivering a roundhouse kick to the side of his head. Cue ball hit the ground with a thud. The thugs looked at Brendan and Anabel with terror in their eyes. Cue Ball and his thugs called back their pokemon and ran for the hills.

May looked at the pair in awe as they returned their pokemon. Brendan offered May his hand to help her up. As she got to her feet her eyes met his. He stared into his ruby eyes and knew it was him. She pulled him close and hugged him tight. Right now she needed someone and who better then her new hero. Brendan was caught off guard as she hugged him. He patted her back trying not to reveal that he knew it was her. he didn't want to get attached, not again. However as he looked at May he knew he couldn't leave her alone. May looked up at him as he held her. "Brendan" was all she said in a very quiet voice. He looked at Anabel and said "You go on ahead, tell M I'll catch up later" Anabel nodded, she felt a small sting in her heart seeing him with her. However she just shrugged it off assuming it was nothing. May looked up at him she had a small smile on her face as she looked at him. "Where have you been?" She asked as she looked at her best friend who she hadn't seen in years. "look there will be time for questions later, its late lets get you home, ok?" He asked as he started to walk with her. She looked at his face, which was still covered by his bandana and mask. "Why do you wear those?" She asked curiously as she looked at him as they walked. "like I said questions later, I want to make sure your home safe first. May nodded, she knew he was trying to avoid answering her questions.

As they reached her home Brendan removed his cloak, mask and bandana. May got teary eyed as she saw her best friend's real face for the first time in years. She pulled him close hugging him tight. She didn't want to let go out of the fear that she would loose him to. After all she already lost Ash. What's to stop him from leaving her as well. As she looked up at his face she gasped. She traced her finger along the large scar Domino had given him. "Brendan what happened? Where have you been? Why did you leave? Who was that girl? What…" Brendan put his hand over her mouth. "May calm down, I will answer as much as I can, but you need to calm down, we are not even inside yet" May smiled and gave him a nod. After everything that happened in the past week having her best friend return to her life made it all almost go away. As she opened the door she pulled him inside and hugged him close once more.

That's when the lights came on. Ash had come back to wait for May, however when he found out she was missing he began to get worried. He figured he would wait till morning after all she could have gone for a walk like he did. When he heard someone open the door that night he ran down expecting to see May. However when he turned on the light he saw May and HIM!! Ash had no idea what to saw when he saw Brendan holding May. Not only was he back, but he was holding her! "May what are you doing?!" May turned back to Ash and slapped him hard across the face. "Since when do you care about me? Why don't you go back to the hotel and screw Misty! That's right Ash Ketchum I saw you and Misty kissing on that balcony, it's good to see you finally chose I just wish you would have been nice enough to inform me" Ash was at a loss for words, she saw them May had seen them.

Brendan sat there watching this go on not sure if he should just excuse himself. Then May grabbed his hand locking it tight with hers. Brendan just looked up at Ash, to see what he was gonna do next. Ash did the only logical thing he could think of. Convince May to take him back. "May! Please I don't love Misty I love you, that whole time I was there I was thinking of you, you're the one I want to be with. You're the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. You're the only one who can make me feel whole" He said as he grabbed her hand. May tried to hold back her tears as she listened to him. After everything that had happened she still loved him. With every fiber of her being she loved him but she couldn't do it, she couldn't risk getting hurt again. He had done it to many times. As she began to cry she pointed to the door. "Get out! Get out Ash!" She said in a mix of sobs and screams. Ash hung his head low as he walked out the door.

Brendan watched as the couple fought. As May cried he pulled her close, rubbing her back. She looked up at Brendan, tears filled her eyes. "Will you stay with me tonight? Please?" He nodded as he held her close and sat down on a near by couch. He would contact Anabel in the morning and let her know what was up. It seemed like they would be in Pallet Town for awhile.


	9. Revisiting the Past

That morning the sun came through the living room window and shined on May who was asleep on the couch with Brendan's arms wrap

That morning the sun came through the living room window and shined on May who was asleep on the couch with Brendan's arms wrapped around her. She stirred as the sun hit her. As she awoke she remembered the horrors of the night before, watching her love kiss another woman, then men who attacked her, the end of her five year relationship. However as she looked up a smile came across her face. He had stayed with her. He didn't disappear he didn't abandon her. Brendan had stayed. His head as tiled back as he slept. May ran a finger across his face as she smiled at him. Brendan stirred slightly in his sleep. As he woke he looked at her and smiled. "morning" He said with a small smile. "Morning" She said with a cute smile she used to save only for Ash.

As they got up Brendan stretched. And May walked into the kitchen to go make them so coffee. "You know this morning your not doing anything before you answer all of my questions" May said with a small smirk. "Yeah yeah" Brendan said as he walked into the kitchen taking a seat. Squirtle popped out of his pokeball and climbed onto Brendan's head and began blowing bubbles. May just giggled as she watched them. "He seems to be really playful" Brendan smiled and nodded as Squirtle sat on his head. "Ya he is" As the coffee maker started up May sat next to Brendan. "So first off where have you been all these years?" She asked as she looked at him. "Well I've been all over, Hoenn, Johto, Kanto, Shinno, I have been traveling all over the world" May nodded as she thought of her next question. "Why haven't you called back anyone who tried to contact you, my parents and yours have been looking everywhere for you" Brendan shrugged. "My parents knew where I was, I simply asked them not to" "But why?" May asked concerned "Because May, I didn't want to be found" May looked at her lap "But what if I needed you?" Brendan pulled Squirtle off his head and petted him. "You had Ash you didn't need me" Brendan said looking away from her.

May gave him a funny look. "what do you mean?" Brendan rolled his eyes. "Its not important" May made a face as she got up to pour them both some coffee. "Ok then who was that girl with you?" "my partner" "uh huh, who is she?" "Can't tell you" "fine, who's M?" "Can't tell you" May gave him a dirty look as she drank her coffee "Well then tell me why you left after you lost" She said as she looked him in the eyes.

Brendan looked away from her as he spoke. "because you chose him" May looked up a bit shocked. "what?" Brendan looked her in the eyes. "I left because you chose him" He said becoming a little upset at bringing back old memories. "I was in love with you May, but during the final round I saw the way you looked at him in the stands, you cheered your head off for him. The one person I really needed to be there for me was cheering for someone else" he said with a sigh, "I lost all my confidence when I saw you on that huge screen cheering for Ash." May looked into her coffee as her friend spoke. She was thinking about that day.

:FLASH BACK:

The finals of the Pokemon League World Championships where almost over, the two finalists Ash Ketchum and Brendan Birch each had one pokemon left. It was Ash's Charizard versus Brendan's Swampert. Brendan was dominating the fight since Swampert had the type advantage over Charizard. However when the cameraman moved the camera from the fight over to may who was cheering louder for Ash then anyone else in the crowd Brendan lost all of his concentration and confidence. As Swampert looked back at Brendan waiting for the next order Ash and Charizard took advantage of the opening. And wiped the floor with Swampert.

:END FLASH BACK:

May shook her head as she tried to get the thought out of her head. "I don't see how me cheering for Ash could mess you up that much" Brendan held Squirtle as held his mug. "That was the exact moment I realized the girl I was in love with didn't love me back" May's heart skipped a beat when she heard him say that. Suddenly her mind raced. Had she made a mistake? Was she meant to be with Brendan? Was that why it hurt so much to be with Ash? May got up to get herself some coffee wondering if she had chosen right or wrong that day. "That girl, your partner, are you two like a couple?" She asked a little scared of the answer. "What? No, she's a good friend and a trust partner. Its not like we're a couple." May sat down next to him and smiled while petting Squirtle.

"These next two questions I need you to answer honestly or I'm kicking your as out" She said with a smile. Brendan chuckled "ok shoot" May looked him in the eyes "What have you been doing with your life since the championships, and how did you get that scar across your face?" Brendan sighed. "I have been traveling all over doing everything I can to protect the people and pokemon of the world. Saving people from dangerous pokemon, saving pokemon from dangerous humans, protecting pokemon from dangerous pokemon, protecting people from dangerous people. Every pokemon that's with me has the same mission I do and they believe in it just as much as I do, and that's to make the world a safer place for everyone" May looked at him in awe as he spoke.

"what about the scar Brendan?" He touched his face totally forgetting about it for a second. "Oh this, I got this about a week ago, when M and I were battling Team Rocket in the battle frontier. My team and I were setting a trap to find out what they know. I took on Domino one on one, when she got mad she slashed at me with a huge hunting knife, she tore through my mask and bandana with it, if I hadn't move she would have taken off half my face. When she saw my face she went berserk and tried to kill me. Luckily we were able to force them to retreat." May looked at him with shock and confusion on her face. "What? How do you and Domino know each other?" Brendan got up as he put his coffee cup in the sink. "It's a long story I would rather not get into. But look I have to go for a bit I will be back in a couple of ours, I need to go contact my partner and M"

May looked at him pulling him close giving him a kiss on the cheek. "be careful ok?" Brendan touched his cheek as he looked at her, "ok" He gave her a smile as he headed out the door with Squirtle on his head. May sat on her couch thinking about what she just did. Was this ok? Was she being faithful to Ash? Why was she worried about how Ash would take it? They were over. Weren't they? She put her head in her hands. This was too much.


	10. Collecting Insurance

In the office of Professor Oak, Tracy was working on some research and cataloging it in the computer

In the office of Professor Oak, Tracy was working on some research and cataloging it in the computer. He was doing his best to ignore Misty who was ranting behind him. She was talking about the same thing she always talked about, ASH. Tracy was tired of hearing it. "Can you believe he did that! I mean he comes in to the room, kisses me, tell me he cares about me! Then runs off screaming about how he loves May!!" Misty said angrily as she paced back and forth. Tracy's Maril sat on the desk in front of him watching Misty go back and forth. "How he do this to me Tracy! I thought he cared about me!" Misty said angrily. Tracy turned around in his chair as he looked at Misty realizing he wasn't going to get any work done with Misty around. He got up out of his chair and gave her a hug. "Calm down Misty, just breath" Misty took a deep breath and hugged him back. "How come I can never find a good guy?" She asked as she hugged her friend. Tracy stroked her hair and sighed. "I'm sure he's out there Misty, you just need to look for him" He hated encouraging her to date other guys. He wished that just once she would turn around and see him, not Ash, or another guy, but him.

Professor oak walked back into his office with a worried look on his face. "It's been over a week and I haven't heard from Gary, I'm starting to get a little worried. I'm going to have to head down there sometime this week to make sure he is doing all right" Professor Oak walked right past Tracy and Misty over to one of his computer simulators to do some work on an experiment with Snorlax. Misty moved away from Tracy giving him a small smile. "Thanks for listening and being there for me Tracy." She smiled as he blushed. "no problem Misty"

In the office of Team Rocket's new head quarters he was setting the next part of his plan in motion. He had hundreds of Rocket agents set in major cities all over the Kanto region. He smirked as he pet his Persian. He had Victory Road caved in to prevent the Elite Four from interfering. He now needed to make sure his son the Pokemon Master was taken out of the picture. Three people were shown on his screen. They were three of the most important individuals in Ash Ketchum's life, Professor Samuel Oak, Delia Ketchum, and May Maple. His Agents Annie and Oakley would take the professor, Domino would capture May, and as for Delia, Giovanni figured she was a matter he should handle Personally.

Annie and Oakley were traveling by chopper to the oak laboratory. "You know the drill Annie, we grab the old man quickly and get out." Annie nodded as she chucked a few grenades at the roof. Professor oak, Tracy and Misty ran for safety as the roof collapsed. As the smoke cleared they saw Annie and Oakley being lowered from a rope. "Team Rocket! What do you want?" Misty said angrily as she pulled out a pokeball. Annie simply chuckled as she threw a pokeball. Her Espeon popped out ready to strike as Oakley pulled out her Ariados. "Ariados use string shot!" Ariados webbed up Misty Tracy and Professor Oak. "You wont get away with this!" Tracy screamed as he struggled in his binds. "Espeon shut them up with Hypnosis" Espeon let out a hypnosis wave putting the three of them to sleep. Oakley grabbed Professor Oak throwing him over her shoulder. "Lets go, we got what we came for" What about the others Oakley?" Annie asked concerned about leaving survivors. "It will be fine we got what we came for no lets go before the cops show up."

At May's home she sat on her couch polishing her pokeballs thinking about if it was a mistake to end it with Ash. Then she heard a knock at the door. She jumped up hoping it would be Ash at the door. As she reached for the handle the door was kicked down sending May into the wall. As she rubbed the back of her head May looked up to see Domino standing over her and she seemed to be studying her. "Honestly I don't understand what he sees in you" She said with a smirk. May stood up looking domino in the eyes. "what do you want?" Domino smirked "I'm here for you May" She said with a smile. In an act of desperation May shoved domino aside and made a mad dash for her pokeballs. May grabbed two and threw them out summoning Snorlax and Balziken. "Get her!" May screamed as Snorlax and Balziken headed her way. "Oh no what ever shall I do?" She said in mock fear. Domino jumped over the pokemon while tossing two pokeballs of her own. Ever since she fought Brendan she decided to mimic his team so the next time she fought her love they would be on a truly even playing field. She summoned out Linoone and Toxicroak. "You two take care of her pokemon." Domino grabbed May by the shirt and threw her into the next room. "I was ordered to bring you in alive, I was never told I couldn't mess you up a bit" Domino hated the fact that Brendan still loved May more then her. In her eyes May wasn't worthy. As she approached May she pulled out her electric tulip giving the coordinator a powerful electric shock. "Awww what's wrong May am I hurting you?" Domino said vindictively.

In the other room Blaziken and Snorlax were already on the ground unconscious as Toxicroak and Linoone stood over them. Domino gripped May by the throat. "I can't believes he still loves you when he's had me, oh well, he'll come around." She said with a smile. May looked at her in horror. "Wh-what are you talking about?" Domino looked over at her. Domino getting bored with the conversation raised her hand and smacked may hard across the face knocking her out. Domino slumped May over her shoulder as she started to walk out the door. "You two hurry up we gotta go" She called out to her pokemon.

Delia was in her kitchen washing some dishes with Mr. Mime. When they heard a knock at the door. Mr. Mime ran off to answer the door. He froze in horror as he opened the door and saw Giovanni standing in the doorway with his Persian. Delia came walking into the living room drying off her hands. "Mimey who's at the….Giovanni!!" She said in shock as the man and his Persian entered her home. "Hello Delia, long time no see, I was just in the neighbor hood and I thought isn't there a secret Delia has been keeping from me?" She slowly backed away as he spoke to her. "No of course not I didn't keep anything from you" Her knees were shaking and her whole body felt cold. Giovanni grabbed her by the throat as Persian incapacitated Mr. Mime. "Deceitful whore!!" He yelled as he slammed her into the wall. "How dare you keep my son from me!!"

Delia gasped for air as he choked her. Giovanni slammed her into the wall over and over as he become more enraged. "How dare you do this to me!!" She pulled on his arm to loosen his grip. "I won't let you hurt my son!" She said as she struggled. Giovanni just laughed. "He's my son, you took him from me and trust me Delia you will pay." As he let her go she leaned up against the wall trying to catch her breath. However before she knew what happened Giovanni smacked her hard knocking her to the floor and knocking her unconscious. As he picked her up over his shoulder he carried her out to his car laying her carefully in the back seat along side him. As the care drove away he contacted Domino. "Domino have the other targets been extracted?" "yes sir!" Domino said quickly "shall I proceed with the next phase?" "Yes Domino" As the car drove out of Pallet town, Delia Ketchum's home, the home of May and Ash, and the Oak Laboratory simultaneously exploded.


	11. Working Together

**Author's Note: This starts out before the attacks of the last chapter.**

* * *

Ash was walking around Pallet town on his way to take on the trainers who wished to challenge him. It was rare for the trainers to even be a challenge. The other day a kid tried to beat Pikachu with a Slowpoke. He looked up into the sky as he walked. May was all he could think about. How he hurt her what he did to her. Sure she was hugging Brendan, but they were friends that what friends did. But what he did was worse. He kissed another, but not just any other girl, he kissed Misty. He had hurt the two girls who meant more to him then anyone, his best friend and his true love.

Ash looked over his shoulder expecting to see Pikachu, but then he remembered he left him at Oak's lab in the back ranch with some of the others. Pikachu had started getting very tired from nonstop battles and he needed a good rest. Ash looked down at his pokeballs to see whom he had with him. "Hmm lets see, Sceptile, Donphan, Swellow, Typflosion, Floatsel, and Glalie." He kept walking until he came across and a bench. He sat down as he looked at the clouds passing by. A small smile crept across his face as he remembered all the times he and May would lay down on the grass together and watch the clouds go by.

He reached into his pocket feeling the ring May had given back to him. He sighed as he began to think back to the day they both fell in love.

:FLASH BACK:

Ash and May had been traveling together through Shinnoh for a couple of months now. May was working her way through the contests and Ash was challenging any trainers he could find and capturing tons of new pokemon for the Shinnoh Pokemon League Tournament. Ash was Rambling as may walked along side him. "When Misty took down that Electabuzz it was amazing, I mean at first you wouldn't that thought Staru could do it, but then Wham! It hits Electabuzz with rapid spin. She was amazing" Ash said dreamily. May looked at him becoming more and more agitated. It killed her when he talked about Misty that way. She figured since it was just the two of them and Pikachu now, he would start to realize how she felt. But no he was still hung up on Misty. No matter what May tried she felt like she could never be equal to Misty in his eyes. No she was just the girl who followed Ash like a lovesick puppy.

Ash was still going on about Misty. "Man not only is she and amazing trainer she's also so beautiful." That's when may lost it. She was near tears now and stopped dead in her tracks. She had to try hard not to fall to the ground crying. Ash looked back noticing she stopped. "What's wrong May?" She didn't say anything. "May?" "What about me?" Was all she said to him. Ash looked dumbstruck. He looked at Pikachu who simply shrugged. "Pika" What about you May?" Ash walked a little closer but May backed away. "You, don't get it do you Ash?" Ash shook his head. "No of course not" May said trying her best not to look at him. She turned from Ash "I love you Ash Ketchum, I may be stupid for doing it but I love you. I love you more then I have loved anyone, but I guess that doesn't really matter since you obviously love Misty" May said getting angry. She glared at Ash. May was on the verge of tears. She just told the man she loves how she felt now she had to wait that agonizing time between when what she said sinks into his thick skull and to when he responds. Ash looked at her. "I'm sorry May" Was all he said. That was the last straw. May took off trying to get as far away from Ash as she could. She hated him, how could he just break her heart like that? How could he be so cruel?

Ash just watched as May ran from him. Deep down he really did love her but he was never able to really get over Misty. He tried to reach out for her as she ran. Pikachu jumped of his shoulder as he tried to push Ash to go after her. But Pikachu was to small to actually make him do anything. Ash was still standing there in shock from May's words. Pikachu looked up at ash and then got an evil idea. Pikachu smiled evilly as he ran behind Ash. "PIKACHUUUUU!!" Pikachu unleashed a massive thunderbolt and gave Ash a full blast. "GAHHHH!!" Ash quickly dusted himself off. "Thanks Pikachu. He started running off as fast as he could to catch May. He was just hoping he would be able to catch her.

As May ran tears streamed down her cheeks. She could not see where she was going. As she ran she accidentally entered the home of some very angry Gyarados. May didn't notice till she heard their roars. She tried to run but soon she was surround. She screamed out in horror. She knew this was it. She was going to die painfully and alone. She wished Ash were there, hoping he would come out of nowhere, to save her like he used to.

Ash had heard her screams and began running toward her. "Please be ok, please be ok" As he ran he finally saw her surrounded by the herd of Gyarados. May turned around to see Ash. She tried to call out for him but she was hit by a Hydro pump attack before she could. Ash gritted his teeth as he ran to save her. He moved as fast as he could, picking her up and running. The Gyarados were not far behind. "Pikachu use thunder!!" Pikachu ran at the heard as he jumped into the air. "PIIIIIIIKAAAAAAAACHUUUUUUU!!" He unleashed a powerful thunder attack knocking out all the Gyarados.

After they escaped Ash sat against a tree holding May in his arms slowly stroking her hair. May stirred as he touched her. She slowly opened her eyes and smiled "Handsome man who saved me from the monsters" She slowly touched his face. Ash smiled as she touched him. At that point he realized she was the one he truly loved. She was kind, supportive, loyal to a fault, and most of all he just loved being around her.

:END FLASH BACK:

Ash smiled remembering that moment of his life. However his smile soon faded as he realized he ruined it all. Why? Because his first love returned and confessed her feelings? He could have easily told her he was sorry and he didn't feel the same. But he didn't. God he was stupid. Ash then quickly stood up. He was determined to keep her. He would not loose May. He would have her back if it killed him. After all he loved her and he knew she loved him. However that thought was distracted as he saw three explosions on the other end of town. He recognized where all three of the explosions came from. He ran as fast as he could to his home to find May. He was preying she wasn't in their home when the explosion went off.

The Lab of Professor oak lay in ruins as the remaining rubble burned to the ground. Brendan and Anabel arrived on the scene in their uniforms as they started searching for survivors. Brendan and Anabel were well aware of the other two explosions but even though one was the May's current residence the Oak lab took more precedent, as there were usually more people there. As the turned over rubble they found two bodies who seemed to be wrapped in solidified string shot. They pulled the bodies out from the rubble and proceeded to shatter the string shot. Misty and Tracy slowly awoke to find two masked figures hovering over them. Misty looked up more confused then scared. "Who are you?" "Friends" was all Brendan said as he offered her his hand. The masked duo helped Tracy and Misty up. They looked at the lab in horror. "Is everyone else ok?" Tracy asked in horror. Brendan shook his head. "No, so far he have found 7 bodies, and all the pokemon are missing from the lab. You two are the only known survivors."

At his home Ash was tearing through the rubble looking for May. "MAY! MAY!!" Ash lifted some rubble to find her Blaziken and Snorlax badly injured. He began to fear the worst. "She's gone" He heard a voice behind him. He turned to see the masked man who was secretly Brendan with Misty, Tracy, and the masked Anabel behind him. Ash ran at Brendan swinging his fists. "YOU TOOK HER!! I'LL KILL YOU!!" Brendan easily side stepped him and tripped him. Brendan stepped on Ash's chest to keep him in place. "First off Ash, I did not take her it was Team Rocket. It seems you did something to piss them off, because according to these two they took professor Oak and odds are they took your mother and May as well" Ash got up as Brendan removed his foot. "How do you know?" Ash asked eyeing him suspiciously. "Because it's my business to know," Brendan said with obvious annoyance in his voice.

"I don't know what you did to piss them off Ash, but whatever it is it was big" Ash was standing there getting frustrated. "I need to get Pikachu" Ash said as he started to walk off. He was going to get Pikachu then he was gonna rescue May, and depending on her condition he would figure out what to do to Team Rocket. Brendan grabbed Ash and pulled him back. "First off if your heading for the Lab it's a no go all the Pokemon there are long gone, seems they all panicked and escaped during the explosion." Ash froze on the spot. He never had to pick between May and Pikachu before. He stood there for a minute. Pikachu could be fine. But May, she was with Team Rocket, and she was in immediate danger. He turned back to them. "Ok, lets go rescue them all and beat Team Rocket" Brendan nodded at Ash before turning to Misty and Tracy, "can we count on you both as well?" Misty nodded "yes" "Hell Yea!" Tracy said angrily.

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**Sorry this chapter took me so long to get up guys, classes have been keeping me swamped. By the way, if anyone has questions, suggestions, or comments feel free to let me know. I alway love hearing what people think of my work no matter if its good or bad. Just nothing about my grammer I try my best with that.  
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